Measuring valve



INVENTOR. GEORGE T. GRAVES $904? ATTORNEY G. T. GRAVES MEASURING VALVEFiled Jan. 14, 1939 5 m y E n h E 2 9 6 Patented Apr. 15, 1941 MEASURINGVALVE George T. Graves, Bedford, Ohio, assignor to The FarvalCorporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio I ApplicationJanuary 14, 1939, Serial No..250,996

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a lubricant measuring valve adapted tobe used in a lubricating system of the single line type, i. e., a systemwherein lubricant, such as oil or grease, is supplied from a pressuresource or pump to a single supply line circuit, with the measuringvalves connected insuch line at points adjacent the bearings orlubricant delivery points of the machinery or similar apparatus to whichthe lubricant is to be supplied in measured amounts.

'The general object and nature of my invention is to provide such ameasuring valve which is'relatively simple in construction and efficientand positive in operation. Briefly stated, the valve operates upon theprinciple of introducing a quantity of lubricant into a measuringchamber, transferring such lubricant to a second chamber upon relief oflubricant supply pressure, and finally discharging a measured amount oflubricant upon the application of repeated lubricant supply pressure.Additional objects and advantages of the invention shall become apparentas the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention,then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims. The annexed drawing and the followingdescription set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying theinvention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one ofvarious mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may beused.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top'plan View of a structure embodying my measuring valvein' the form of a four valve manifold block; Fig. 2 is a sideelevational viewof Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional viewtaken'substantially along line 3- 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectionalview taken substantially along line 4-4 of Fig. l; and Figs. 5 to 8inclusive are schematic sectional views in which the several parts andpassages of the blank have been. transposed into a single plane forconvenience in illustration, and showing the valve pistons in variouspositions during a cycle of operation.

. Now referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown thereina manifold block I which comprises the housing for the valve parts. i

The block I in the drawing is shown in the form of what is known as amanifold block containing four separate measuring valves. It should beobvious that one or more measuring valves could equivalently beincorporated in block I. The tube fittings 2 and 3 are threadablymounted in the side of the block I and serve as means for connecting thelatter to the lubricant pressure supply line 4. Similar tube fittings 5connect to the outlet or bearing lines 6. countersunk holes projectinglugs be effective against into the interior of the cylinder I areprovided in the block I formounting the latter upon a supporting surfaceby means of fastening bolts.

Inlet ports 8 connect the supply" line 4' t the upper portion of thevalve .cyliders -9 at each end of the manifold block. The trunk ports I0are continuations of the ports 8, connecting all valve cylinders 9 tothe'supply line 4. 1

The tops or inlet ends of the cylinders Hare enclosed by means of thethreaded plugs II.

The bottom and opposite ends of the cylinders 9 are closed by means ofthe threaded bushings I2 in which the adjusting screws I3, having the-fillister machine screw heads I4, are mounted.

A pair of pistons I5 and 16 are mounted in the cylinder 9 and arenormally urged outwardly away from each other and into abutment againstthe closed ends of the cylinder by means of the compression spring H.The pistons I5 and I6 are counterbored in their mutually opposed sidesin order to provide cylindrical recesses for the 'reception of the endsof the spring H. The pistons I5 and I6 also have the reduced diameter I5and I6 respectively on their outer ends which serve the purpose ofadmitting the exertion of lubricant pressure so that it ;will

the ends of the pistons when the-latter are in fully extended position.

An abutment or stop pin I8 projects slightly 9, and serves limiting theinward movement of as means for the pistons I5 and I6. The abutment pinI8 also serves as a means for sealing the hole drilled through from theexterior of the block I to form the outlet port 25. v

A transfer passage I9 is drilled in the block I parallel to the cylinder9. The port 20 con nects one end of the passage I9 to the cylinder 9 ata point intermediate the extremities of the path of travel of the pistonI5. Anotherport 2| connects the other end of the passage I9to the bottomend of the-cylinder 9. Since the passage I9, ports 20 and 2I are mostconveniently formed by means of holes drilled through from the exteriorof the block I, their outer .ends are filled -or plugged with theinserts 22,123 and 24 respectively.

An outlet port 25 leads from the cylinder 9 at a point located centrallyof the latter, or adjacent the innermost limits of travel of the pistonsI5 and I6, to the outlet passage 26, the fitting 5 and bearingconnecting line 6.

The mode of operation of the above described structure is illustrated inFigs. 5' to 8 inclusive:

pressure is then admitted through the inlet port 8 and forces the pistonl inwardly of the cylinder 9 until .the piston .l5 passes and .clearsthe port 20. At this point, lubricant enters the port 20, passes throughthe transfer passage is to the 1 port 2| and into the opposite end ofthe cylinder 9 where its pressure is exerted to force the piston IS inan upward direction.

The pistons l5 and I6 are shown in Fig. 6 in positions illustrating theoperation of the valve up to this point. The piston has come to restagainst the stop pin [8. The piston l6 has commenced to travel upwardlyin the cylinder 9, displacing lubricant from the spring side of thepiston outwardly through the outlet port'25.

As the lubricant pressure continues to be exerted upon .the piston [6,it travels'to its furthest upper or inward movement, coming to restagainst the stop pin 18, as .shown in Fig. 7. At

this'point, all ioi'the lubricant in the cylinder'9 behind the piston I6.has been displaced. This displaced lubricant represents the measuredamount of lubricant discharged by the valve.

.The lubricant pressure is vnext relieved, customarily by shortcircuiting the supply line 4 from the system pump to the reservoir(latter elements not shown). The pistons l5 and 16, .under the action ofthespring I1, will then tend to return to their initial or normalpositions.

Piston l5, however, will move first and before piston l6, sincetherelief of pressure will first be :effective upon piston Hi. The latterpiston will then travel to its outermost limit, opening the port to thecyIinderB on the spring side of the piston 15. The piston :l-B thentravels to its outermost position, transferring lubricantfrom .the lowerend :of the cylinder 9, through the transfer passage l9, throughthe'port 20to that portion of the cylinder '9 surrounding the spring l'lyreturning the parts'to the position :shown in Fig. :5.

It is to be noted that the piston I 5 displaces lubricant during "itsinitial "travel :and from its *springaside in an amount .represented bythe dis- :tance between 'therpoint where the inner end of the piston 15first closes off 'theport -20 to the point -where-the piston t5 comes torest against the'stop pin 18. But when thepistonl 5-starts on itsreturn-travel, 'it'reabsorbs this same amount from the outlet port anddischarge passage '26. Hence only thatamount of lubricantrepresented'tby the displacement travel of the piston 16 remains in theoutlet port 25 and discharge passage 26"and'therefore'constitutes themeasured amount of flubricant ultimately delivered to the bearing.

Adjustment of the position of the "adjusting screw l3 determines'theextent of travel of the piston l6. Thus, by moving the screw 13 inwardlywith respect to'the cylinder 9, the measured amount ofdischarged'lubricant can be decreased; and conversely, by moving itoutwardly, such :amount can .be increased.

The piston vl5 thus functions as a means for regulating the transfer ofTlubricant from the lubricant pressure to the spring side of the pistonl6 and hence in some of theappended claims is termed a transfer piston.The piston I6 determines the amount of measured lubricant ultimatelydischarged from the valve and hence in some of the appended claims istermed a .m wingpiston? bination of a casing having a cylinder therein,an

inlet port in constant communication with one end of said cylinder, anoutlet port communicating with the central portion of the cylinder, anda transfer passage having one end opening into the other end of saidcylinder, said cylinder having a single control port positionedintermediate said inlet and outlet ports and connecting said end of:said cylinder, mounted in said cylinder between opposed sides cylinderwith the other end of said transfer passage, a piston valve mounted inone end of said cylinder for reciprocal movement intermediate said inletand outlet ports, a measuring piston mounted for reciprocal movement inthe other a compression spring of said pistons and urging said pistonsoutwardly away from each other, outward movement of said piston valvebeing limited by the end of the cylinder in which it is mounted, anabutment member limiting inward movement of said piston valve againstthe action of said compression spring, said piston valve being adaptedto occupy a normal outer control position on one side of said singlecontrol port and an-inner control position on the otherside of saidsingle control port, said piston valve when in its normal outer positionbeing opan inlet port in constant communication with one end of saidcylinder, an outlet port communicating with the central portion of thecylinder, and a transfer passage having one end opening into the otherend of said cylinder, said cylinder having a single control portpositioned intermediate said inlet and outlet ports and connecting saidcylinder with the other end of said transfer passage, a pair 'of pistonsmounted in opposed relationship in said cylinder, a compression springmounted in said cylinder between opposed sides of said pistons andurging said pistons outwardly away from each other, outward movement ofsaid pistons being limited by the ends of said cylinder, and abutmentmeans located in said cylinder adjacent said outlet port .for limitinginward movement of both of said pistons toward each other, the piston inthe first named end of said cylinder'constituting a control pistonadapted to occupy a normal outer control position and an inner controlposition, the control positions of said valve being respectively onopposite sides of said single control port, said control piston when inits normal outer position being operable to disconnect said inlet portfrom said control port and being operable upon movement to its innerposition against the action of said compression spring to connect saidsingle control port with said inlet port.

GEORGE T. GRAVES.

